Boiler-feeding apparatus



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April 23, 1929.

fa wlff Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BOILER-FEEDIN G APPARATUS.

Application filed February 27, 1922. Serial No. 539,427.

This invention relates I ing apparatus for steam boilers of the generaltype covered by the Alexander Patent No. 1,240,804 of September 25,1917and described in greater detail in our pendlng application Serial No.491,644, filed October 11, 1921. no or more geyser tubes may be castintegral with or formed within the fire box section of theboiler so asto automatically supply water to the upper heating surfaces orsteamchambers of the boiler under operating conditions when the waterflows over these plates in thin sheets or-streams'so that it can beevaporated under efiicient conditions. With this type of boilercomparatively little water space is provided within the boiler and it isadvantageous to have an equalizing watertank of considerable ca? pacitymounted adjacent or around the boiler at about the normal water linethereof so as to furnish considerable additional water space. It is alsoof decided advantage to have a feed tank in which the drip return isreceived from the heating system and a connected feed pipe whichpreferably has a restricted inlet in the feed tank is adapted to feedthis drip return water in a substantially continuous manner into one ormore of the upper steam chambers of the boiler while in case of a suddeninflux thereof into the feed tank an equalizing connection, preferablyat a somewhat higher level in the feed tank may conduct this surpluswater into lbe equalizing tank below. This equalizing tank, which mayhave any suitable shape and ample size for the particular boiler withwhich it is to be connected, may effectively serve as a settling tanksince the drip return from the radiators or other devices using thesteam ma 1 be led into one side or end of the equalizing tank which mayhave separating ribs extending up more or less from its bottom so as toform a series of settling or separating sections or chambers in whichrust or other sediment collects near the drip return. The water supplyconnection for the boiler may be taken out of this equalizing tankadjacent the other end so that at least considerable sediment andimpurities may be removed from the water before it is returned to theboiler. It is also advantageous in many cases to mount, in the generalway disclosed in our copending especially to feedapplication, Serial No.520,005 of December I ,Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section showingthe} boiler feeding apparatus.

' is a top view.

The boiler! of this Alexander type may be of any suitable constructionand may either e a vertical or- 'roundsection boiler as indicated or asectional boiler, if desired. fire box section 1 is shown as being ofwater jacket construction so as to form a water space or water jacket 2around the fire and a suit-able geyser device may be installed adjacentthe upper part of the fire box and may comprise water legs 23 cast withthe fire box section and connected tube 24 through which waterautomatically under operating conditions to the upper steam chamber 5.The water may then flow over a series of enclosed ribbed surfacesforming tortuous channels for the water which finally passes downthrough nipples or connections into the lower steam chamber 4 connectedwith the water jacket below by various nipples or connections 23. Thesteam which is generated under efficient conditions in these steamchambers heated by the hot gases finally escaping through the smokeconnection 6, is led off through suitable steam supply pipes such as 26connected to the radiators or other steam utilizing devices operated bythe boiler. The condensed water from the steam radiators or otherdevices in which the steam is used returns through suitable drip returnsor pipes such as 31, for example, to which may be connected the feedtank 30 of cast iron or other suitable material and having any desiredsize and shape. This tank preferably has one or more separatingpartitions 32 formed on its bottom between the rear portion where thedrip return 31 enters and the forward portion of this feed tank 'wherethe tank. Thisfeed pipe may portion such as at the "lower end 38 of themain feed pipe section 37 which may project into a priming recess 39formed as'i-ndicated in the upper steam chamber '5 adje cent the guidingpartitions 40." Sufiicient water is thus normally held in this recess soas to form a: water seal 'for the teed pipe and substantially-prevententrance of steam cleanout plug such as into the pipe which is desirableforsome purposes. It is also-desirable to have a 36 deta-chably arrangedin a T or coupling in the feed pipe so that by, removing this plug'theinlet opening can be cleared orinspe'cted' when necessary and thecontinued-operation of the feed pipe ensured. y 1

In some cases as where water collects in the steam radiators largeamounts of water are occasionally fed down the drip return pipe andunder-these conditionsit is preferable to discharge such surplus wateror remove it from 'the feed tank so that a more constant feed ofwater-can be main tained through the feed pipe to the upper heatingsurfaces ot'the boiler. For this purpose an equalizing connection suchas 8 may be arranged in the feed tank and may have a relativelylargeinlet opening 33 preferably arranged somewhat above the feed pipe inletso that under such sudden flooding or feeding of water to the feed tankit may be quickly removed therefrom by this equalizing connection assoon as the water level in the feed tank rises above the equalizinginlet 33. This equalizing connection which may convey the drip returnwater in any desired way to the water space of the boiler preierablconnects with an equalizing tank such as 11 having considerable capacityand located at about the normal or static water line of the boiler. Asindicated in Figs. 1 and 3 this equalizing tank may be of curved formand more or less embracing the boiler and supported therefrom andconnected thereto as through suitable nipple or pipe connections such as7, 27 and the water supply connection 21 communicating with the waterspace at the lower part of the boiler. This equalizing tank which mayhave a gauge glass 16 mounted on the dome 9 to which the equalizing pipeis connected through the T connection 15 may have in some cases a seriesof separating partitions or ribs 22 extending upward from the bottom ofthe tank so as to catch and retain the sediment and dirt which areoftencarried into theequalizing tank in considerable amounts by -the suddenflooding of water into indicated. This sediment may be removed 'fromtime to time through 'the'valved drain pipe 20 and the removable endplated? may also be taken oil and the entire equalizing tank scrapedorhosed out occasionally for cleaning purposes. By having the water supplypipe 'or connection 21 arranged at the oppositeend 19 of the equalizingtank from the; equalizin connection 8 "therewith, this sedimei1t"is, 0course,- caughtand deposited in the intermediatiefpo'rtions of theequalizing-tank and is removed-toe corresponding extent "from the waterwhich is supplied to the boiler through 'the 'pipe 21'. If desired,waterheating eoits -or pipes 44 may be mounted withinthi s equalizingtank as shown in Figuresfiand 3,s0 as=to heat water for domesticpurp'o'ses for when proper-eonnection -is made-with theprGj'ectin'g-'pot=tions"-43 of these pipes."

While we have shown and described a certain preferred embodiment of theinventiomitiwill be understood that thisi'is primarily for the purposeofi'llustrating the principlesofthe invention, and'that manymodifications and changes maybe made in the details of constructionwithout-departing from the spirt or iscop'e' of the inventioniTherefore, we do not desire to be understood-as limiting ourselvesexcept as required by the'fo'llowing claims when construed in the lightofthe pniorart.

"We claims" 1-. The steam boiler'eomprising a Water jacket fireboxsection, one or more superimposed steam chambers having heating surfacesarranged above said fire box section and a geyser device connected tosaid fire box section and automatically supplying water therefrom to theupper heating suraces in said steam chambers under operating conditions,an equalizing tank arranged adj acent said fire box section at about thenormal water level therein and having a water supply connection with thewater space at the lower part of the boiler, a feed tank to be connectedto the drip return of the boiler,a feed pipe having an inlet in thelower part of said feed tank, a clcanoutplug in said feedpipe to clearits inlet and a Water seal recessin the upper stream chamber of theboiler with which the depending end of said feed pipe communicates tofeed the drip return water to the upper heating surfaces of said boiler,and an equalizing connection communicating with said equalizing tank andhaving a relatively large inlet end in said teed tank at a higher leverthan the feed pipe inlet therein.

*2. The steam boiler cor prising a water jacketfire box section, one ormore superimposed steam chambers having heating surthe same as above,

example,

faces arranged above said fire box. section and a -geyser deviceconnected a to said fire box 1 section and automatically supplyingwatertherefrom to theupper heating surfaces insaid steam chambers underoperating.conditions,-a feed tankto beconnected to the drip return .ofthe boiler,-a feed pipe having an inlet inthe lower part of said feedtank, and a water seal recess in the upper steam chamber of the boilerwith which the dependin end of said feed ,pipe communicates to fieed-thedrip return water to the upper-heating surfaces of said boiler, and anequalizing connection communicating with alower, water space of theboilerand havinga.relatively'large .inlet end in aid feed tank at ahigherlevel than the feed pipe inlet therein.

3. The steam boiler comprising a fire box section, one or moresuperimposed steam chambers aranged above said fire box section and ageyser device connected to said fire box section and automaticallysupplying water therefrom to the upper heating surfaces in said steamchambers under operating conditions, a feed tank to be connected to thedrip return of the boiler and having a separting partition, a feed pipehaving a water seal device and an inlet in the lower part of said feedtank on the other sideof said partition from the drip return connectionto feed the drip return water to the upper heating surfaces of saidboiler and maintain a water seal in said feed pipe, and an equalizingconnection communicating with the water space at the lower part of theboiler and having a relatively large inlet end in said feed tank at ahigher level than the feed pipe inlet therein.

4. The steam boiler comprising a fire box section, one or moresuperimposed steam chambers arranged above said fire box section and ageyser device connected to said iii-e box section and automaticallysupplying water therefrom to the upper heating surfaces in said steamchambers under operat ing conditions, a feed tank to be connected to thedrip return of the boiler and a feed pipe having a water seal device andan inlet in said feed tank to feed the drip return to the upper heatingsurfaces of said boiler and maintain a water seal in said feed pipe, andan equalizing connection communciating with the water space at the lowerpart of the boiler and having a relatively large inlet end in said feedtank.

5. The steam boiler comprising a fire box section, one or moresuperimposed steam chambers arranged above said fire box section and ageyser device connected to said fire box section and automaticallysupplying water therefrom to the upper heating surfaces in said steamchambers under operating conditions, a feed tank to be connected to thedrip return of the boiler and a feed pipe having an inlet in said feedtank to feed'the driplreturn water to the upper heating-surfaces of saidboiler, and an equalizing con nection communicating with thewater spaceat they lower part of the boiler and having a relatively large ,inletend'in'said feed tank.

6. A steam boiler comprising a fire. box, a water chamber, oneor morevsuperimposed steam generating surfaces. arranged above said firebox,means for feeding water from said-water chamber to said steam generatingsurfaces, a drip return water feed tank, a feed pipe having a smallinletin said tank for delivering water-from said feed tank to saidsteamgenerating surfaces, and an equal izing-iconnection having a relativelylarge inlet in said feed tank-at a higher-level than the feed, pipeinlettherein and communicating with said waterchamber of the boiler;

7;.-The-;feeding apparatus for a steam boiler having a lower fire boxwater space and upper heating surfaces receiving water therefrom,comprising a feed tank to be connected to the drip return of the boiler,a feed; pipe having an inlet in the lower part of said feed tank and awater seal recess adjacent the upper heating surfaces of the boiler withwhich the depending end of said feed pipe communicates to feed the dripreturn water directly to said upper heating surfaces and maintain awater seal at the discharge end of said feed pipe and an equalizingconnection having a relatively large inlet end in said feed tank at ahigher level than the feed pipe inlet therein and communicating with alower water space of the boiler.

8. The feeding apparatus for a steam boiler having a lower fire boxwater space and upper heating surfaces receiving water therefrom,comprising a feed pipe to be connected to the drip return of the boilerto feed the drip return water directly to said upper heating surfacesand a relatively large capacity en'iergency connection delivering dripreturn water to said lower fire box water space without passing throughsaid feed pipe.

9. A steam boiler comprising a fire box, a water chamber, one or moresuperimposed steam generating surfaces arranged above said fire box,means for feeding water from said water chamber to said steam generatingsurfaces, a drip return water feed tank, a feed pipe having a smallinlet in said tank for delivering water from said feed tank to saidsteam generating surfaces, an equalizing tank arranged adjacent theboiler and having a connection with a relatively large inlet in saidfeed tank at a higher elevation than said feed pipe inlet therein toreceive water from said feed tank, and a connection between saidequalizing tank and said water chamber of said boiler.

10. The combination with a steam boiler having small water capacity anda steam generating surface above the water level, of a drip return waterfeed tank, a feed pipe for delivering water from said feed tank to saidsteam generating surface, a relatively large equalizing tank partiallysurrounding said boiler closely adjacent thereto to receive heattherefrom, said tank being horizontally disposed at the normal waterlevel of the boiler, a boiler drip return conneetion leading from saidfeed tank to one end of said equalizing tank, a connection adjacent theother end of said equalizing tank to supply water therefrom to theboiler, and heating coil pipes within said equalizing tank for heatingwater passing through said pipes for domestic purposes.

' 11. A steam boiler equalizing and water heating tank, adapted for usewith a steam boiler having relatively small water capacity, comprisingan equalizing tank adapted to partially surround and be arranged closelyadjacent the fire box seetion of the boiler at the normal water levelthereof and having adjacent one end a boiler drip return connection, awater supply connection adjacent the other end of said equalizing tankto supply water to said boiler, a series of separating ribsextendingupward from the bottom of said equalizing tank to form a series ofseparating compartments in said tank and promote the separation ofsediment in the sections of said tank adjacent said drip-return, andheating coil pipes arranged within said equalizing tank and adapted toheat Water passing through said pipes for domestic purposes.

CARL z. ALEXANDER. EARL s. ALEXANDER.

